After attending two pre-surgery counselling sessions at JJ Hospital, Bidhan Barua has dropped out of the psychological evaluation sessions from the hospital and now plans to start afresh at the BMC-run Sion Hospital.

28th May 2012 00:17

Alessia Valenza

Barua claimed the counsellors of the state-run hospital insisted he involves his parents in the counselling sessions. His parents, who live in Guwahati, have apparently been vehemently opposing his decision to undergo a sex change surgery.

“I have a court order that states no one can prohibit me from undergoing the operation. This is my decision and there is no need to involve my family,” said the 21-year-old. However, even though Barua plans to start his counselling sessions at Sion Hospital this week, doctors said they are yet to receive any information from him.

According to experts, apart from the counselling of the person who has to undergo the operation, his/her parents’ counselling is also an integral part of the process.

“It is very important to counsel the parents and involve them in the process. When a person comes in for a sex change, his/her life history needs to be explored in detail. It needs to be checked whether the person is genuinely having a gender issue or whether there is some other social or mental reason attached to it. The person’s life post-operation needs to be put before him/her before one can make the choice,” explained psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty.

Meanwhile, Barua also alleged that despite repeated attempts, no one from the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) community came forward to offer him financial help.